Cubianhttp://cubian.org
Cubian X1 is out<p>I’m pleased to announce a new version of Cubian is out. The version name is <strong>X1</strong>. It’s highly recommended to upgrade to this version. It resolved all the known problems in the previous releases.</p>
<p>The new version supports all cubieboards currently released by cubietech. HDMI and VGA image is separately packed for the sake of convience. <small>Our wiki has a great tutorial on <a href="https://github.com/cubieplayer/Cubian/wiki/VGA-output">how to use VGA output</a></small>.</p>
<p>Cubian is dedicated to make Debian running on cubieboard <strong>easier, faster, safer</strong>. It has three types to suit your needs.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Nano</strong> text mode</li>
<li><strong>Nano+headless</strong> text mode but without display support, no reserved memory.</li>
<li><strong>Desktop</strong> <a href="http://mate-desktop.org/">MATE desktop</a> with hardware acceleration, chromium browser with flash support</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p>Please read <a href="https://github.com/cubieplayer/Cubian/wiki/Get-started-with-Cubian">Get started with Cubian</a> if you are first on using Cubian. The rules still working if you aren’t customize anything.
Read <a href="https://github.com/cubieplayer/Cubian/wiki/Install-Cubian">Install Cubian</a> if you don’t know how to install.</p>
<p>#Hilights</p>
<ul>
<li>Cubian X1 has a configuration tool called <code class="highlighter-rouge">cubian-config</code>. It is adopted from <a href="http://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/raspi-config.md">raspi-config</a>. It will run at first boot, let you choose your password, locales, timezone, keyboard layout and more.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/cubian-config.png" alt="Cubian config screenshot" /></p>
<ul>
<li>The login screen has changed it’s style. The login manager still is <a href="http://slim.berlios.de/">SLiM</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/cubian-desktop-x1-loginscreen-cubie.png" alt="Cubian X1 login screenshot" /></p>
<ul>
<li>Desktop enviroment has changed from LXDE to <a href="http://mate-desktop.org/">MATE</a></li>
</ul>
<p><img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/cubian-desktop-x1-screen-startmenu.png" alt="Cubian X1 desktop screenshot" /></p>
<h1 id="one-more-thing">One more thing</h1>
<p>We use bittorrent to publish the new images to saving money on hosting charges. <strong>Kindly please help seeding at least 30 minutes after your download is complete to make others downloading faster</strong>. I aslo use my cubieboard as a seeder (with cubian x1 of course XD) at home working all days.</p>
2014-10-08T00:00:00+00:00http://cubian.org/2014/10/08/cubian-x1-is-out
Resolve stability issue on cubieboard 2<p>There is some reports <a href="http://www.cubieforums.com/index.php/topic,952.msg13152.html#msg13152">1</a> <a href="http://www.cubieforums.com/index.php/topic,2472.msg17784.html#msg17784">2</a> <a href="http://www.cubieforums.com/index.php/topic,2696.msg17764.html#msg17764">3</a> on stability problem on cubieboard2. See <a href="https://github.com/cubieplayer/Cubian/issues/319">issue #319</a>, as explains by <a href="https://github.com/ssvb">Siarhei Siamashka</a>, I quote:</p>
<pre>
It has been confirmed that a substantial percentage of cubieboard2 and cubietruck users are having stability issues. These issues are caused by having various voltages optimistically configured way too low. Because each unit has its own tolerances, not everyone can easily reproduce these problems.
</pre>
<p>A very detailed discussion can be found <a href="https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/linux-sunxi/dcdc3/linux-sunxi/1Orj-ukBb6s/qjfAh_NrL3YJ">here</a>.</p>
<p>#Resolve the problem</p>
<ol>
<li>Plan A<br />
apply <a href="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/temp/script.patch">this patch</a> manually to your script.bin.</li>
<li>Plan B<br />
Download script.bin already patched from <a href="https://github.com/mmplayer/cubian-updates/blob/a20-3.4.79_2/boot/script.bin?raw=true">here</a> then overwrite yours.</li>
<li>Plan C<br />
Run <code>cubian-update --update-board-cfg</code></li>
</ol>
<p>#Verify if the problem resolved</p>
<ol>
<li>Install latest kernel<br />
<code>apt-get update &amp;&amp; apt-get install linux-image</code></li>
<li>Install hardware tester<br />
<code>apt-get install cpuburn-sunxi lima-memtester</code></li>
<li>Run hardware tester<br />
<code>cpuburn-sunxi</code> to test if the CPU will overheat while doing heavy work.<br />
<code>cpufreq-stress-test-sunxi</code> to test if the CPU is stable at every frequency.<br />
<code>lima-memtester</code> to test if memory is working fine.</li>
</ol>
<p>#Screenshots
<img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/cpuburn-sunxi.png" alt="cpuburn-sunxi screenshot" />
<img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/cpu_freq_stress_test.png" alt="cpu-freq-stress-test screenshot" />
<img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/lima-memtester.png" alt="lima-memtester screenshot" /></p>
2014-07-05T00:00:00+00:00http://cubian.org/2014/07/05/resolve-stability-issue-on-cb2
Troubleshooting NAND install on A20<p>Cubian-nandinstall is a universal tool which can migrate the rootfs on the SD-card to NAND automatically, but your board refused to start up sometimes, even the installation process was normal and smooth.</p>
<p>#boot0 and boot1</p>
<p>One known reason of this problem is the boot0 and boot1 code on the device, boot0 and boot1 code is located at a special area, only livesuit can access them AFAIK. They might <strong>NOT</strong> made for linux. For example, Cubieboard will install an android system on the NAND at factory.</p>
<p>To solve the problem is pretty easy. You just need to use livesuit burn a <a href="http://cubieboard.org/download/">lubuntu system</a> to nand first, then use cubian-nandinstall afterward.</p>
<p><strong>Note, everytime your burn an android system to nand, and you want change to linux, you need to perform this step, otherwise the board won’t start after running cubian-nandinstall.</strong></p>
<p>#root setting in uEnv.txt
Another common pitfall is the root device parameter is not setted correctlly in uEnv.txt. The nand install script will set <code class="highlighter-rouge">root=/dev/nandb</code> in uEnv.txt, it’s fine with Cubian’s kernel. If you are using other kenrel, like patwood’s, you should change it to <code class="highlighter-rouge">/dev/nand2</code>. The device name is determined the kernel config option <strong>CONFIG_SUNXI_NAND_COMPAT_DEV</strong>.</p>
<p>Please let me know, if you still have problems about nand-install.</p>
2014-06-30T00:00:00+00:00http://cubian.org/2014/06/30/troubleshooting-nandinstall-on-a20
Cubian for cubietruck released<p>Cubian for cubietruck has released. <strong>Both text mode and desktop versions are available for cubietruck!</strong><br />
Further more, Cubian base for cubieboard1 and cubieboard2 is updated aslo.</p>
<h1 id="features">Features</h1>
<ul>
<li>Latest kernel 3.4.75 and bootloader(u-boot) supports GMAC, wireless and <a href="https://github.com/cubieplayer/Cubian/issues?labels=module+request&amp;page=1&amp;state=closed">lots of new module</a> are compiled.</li>
<li>Oracle Java JDK 7 is preinstalled</li>
</ul>
2014-02-09T00:00:00+00:00http://cubian.org/2014/02/09/cubian-for-cubietruck-released
Cubian desktop released<p>I’m pleased to announce the release of <a href="http://cubian.org/downloads/#Desktop">Cubian desktop</a>.
It’s very simple, fast and elegant. I hope you will like it.</p>
<h1 id="supported-hardware">Supported hardware</h1>
<ul>
<li>Cubieboard1</li>
<li>Cubieboard2</li>
<li>Cubietruck</li>
<li>Other A10,A20 boards works in theoretical</li>
</ul>
<h1 id="details">Details</h1>
<ul>
<li>Based on <a href="https://www.debian.org/releases/wheezy/">Debian 7.0 wheezy armhf</a></li>
<li>Latest kernel 3.4.75 and bootloader(u-boot) supports GMAC and <a href="https://github.com/cubieplayer/Cubian/issues?labels=module+request&amp;page=1&amp;state=closed">lots of new module</a> are compiled.</li>
<li>Minimal <a href="http://lxde.org/">LXDE</a> with hardware accelerated. Thanks to <a href="https://github.com/ssvb/xf86-video-fbturbo">ssvb’s great project</a> again.</li>
<li><a href="http://slim.berlios.de/">Slim</a> as default display manager with a custom theme. Believe me, it’s super simple, beautiful and fast.</li>
<li>Chromium browser 16.0. Java applet is supported however adobe flash is <strong>NOT</strong> supported.</li>
<li><a href="http://wicd.sourceforge.net/">Wicd</a> network manager.</li>
<li>Gorgeous screensavers powered by <a href="http://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/">xscreensaver</a>.</li>
<li>PDFViewr(epdfview), text editor(gvim), CJK fonts</li>
<li>Oracle Java JDK 7</li>
</ul>
<h1 id="user-manaual">User Manaual</h1>
<p>If you use Cubian for first time. It’s important to take just <strong>ONE</strong> minute to read <a href="https://github.com/cubieplayer/Cubian/wiki/Get-started-with-Cubian">“Get started Cubian”</a> to keep you alway from trouble and confusessions.</p>
<h1 id="screenshots">Screenshots</h1>
<ul>
<li>Super clean login screen. <em>The default login credential is <strong>cubie:cubie</strong></em>.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/cubian-desktop-scrot-login-small.jpg" alt="Login screenshot" /></p>
<ul>
<li>Desktop start screen</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/cubian-desktop-scrot-small.png" alt="Desktop screenshot" /></p>
2014-02-08T00:00:00+00:00http://cubian.org/2014/02/08/cubian-desktop-released
Cubian r7 for A10 and r4 for a20 released<p>Compares to the release at <a href="/2013/11/08/cubian-r6-for-a10-and-r3-for-a20-released">08 Nov,2013</a>, This release added</p>
<ul>
<li>Auto expand rootfs to your fit your SD card at first boot</li>
<li>Using system wide automount script(devmon)</li>
</ul>
<h1 id="note">Note</h1>
<p>The first boot takes longer time than usual. It needs to regenerate SSH keys, Ajenti private key and resize your partition to fit your SD card. It will reboot one time automatically on first boot to take effect for changes.</p>
<h1 id="cubietruck">Cubietruck</h1>
<p>r4 for a20 can work on cubietruck. But ethernet is not working due to the driver change.</p>
2013-11-12T00:00:00+00:00http://cubian.org/2013/11/12/cubian-r7-for-a10-and-r4-for-a20-released
Donate cubian using github account<p>If you like Cubian and want to make a donation. You can do it if you have a github eligible account.</p>
<p>A eligible github account is:</p>
<ol>
<li>registered before <em>1 MAY,2013</em></li>
<li>has commited some code</li>
</ol>
<h1 id="steps">Steps</h1>
<ol>
<li>Open <a href="https://giveaway.ripple.com/">https://giveaway.ripple.com/</a> and Login with your github account.<br />
If you see <em>You are eligible for one giveaway code, Just A few more steps…</em> That means your github account is eligible to donate cubian, now go to step 2.<br />
If you see other than that, I’m still thanks for your kindness and effort. But you can’t donate cubian by this way.</li>
<li>Please copy and paste <strong>ramPzfegGYq2aX1GU18B5JVGiYQTtWfhyz</strong> to the first text input box. This is a virtual address to recieve your donation.<br />
You can type anything to the passphrase fileds or just use the random one. it’s not important at all.</li>
<li>Click <em>Get your code</em>, then you will recieve a giveway code. You can send this code to e-mail address
<strong>donate.cubian@gmail.com</strong><br />
The code doesn’t contains any privacy information and it is binded to the reciever’s address. So, you can simply leave a comment contains the code to this article if sending an email is not easy.</li>
</ol>
<h1 id="about-ripple">About Ripple</h1>
<p><a href="https://ripple.com/">Ripple</a> is a new virtual currency trading system. I will recieve 2020 XRP from each donation thus a giveaway code. It worthy about 15USD at current marketing price.</p>
2013-11-10T00:00:00+00:00http://cubian.org/2013/11/10/donate-cubian-through-github-account
Cubian r6 for A10 and r3 for a20 released<p>Cubian is a battle tested os on cubieboard now, just look at the <a href="https://github.com/cubieplayer/Cubian/issues">issue tracking system</a>. <strong>Clean</strong> and <strong>simple</strong> are its philosophy.</p>
<p>This release contains the following features, I hope you enjoy it:</p>
<ul>
<li>Kernel upgrade to 3.4.67+ which is the latest one at current</li>
<li>U-Boot is upgraded to speed up the booting process</li>
<li>More wifi modules supports</li>
<li>Preinstalled <a href="http://ajenti.org">Ajenti</a>, a web administration tool</li>
<li>Preinstalled <a href="http://ignorantguru.github.io/udevil">udevil</a></li>
</ul>
<h1 id="showtime">Showtime</h1>
<p>Load average in idle state is very nice.
<img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/cubian_r6_loadaverage.png" alt="cubian load average screenshot" /></p>
<p><a href="http://ajenti.org/">Ajenti</a> web control panel. The login credential is <strong>root</strong>:<strong>admin</strong>.<br />
<strong>Notice</strong>: As you can see the free space is only 26MB, I recommends you use <a href="http://cubian.org/2013/08/12/enlarge-cubian-rootfs-partition/">cubian-resizefs</a> to expand the spaces.
<img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/cubian-ajenti.png" alt="cubian with ajenti screenshot" /></p>
<h1 id="one-more-thing">One more thing</h1>
<p>Cubian will have a desktop version soon, I am working hard on it currently. What i can tell you is it is really amazing.</p>
2013-11-08T00:00:00+00:00http://cubian.org/2013/11/08/cubian-r6-for-a10-and-r3-for-a20-released
Install LXDE with opengles accelerated on cubian<p>Cubian doesn’t provide a desktop environment by default, but you can easily install it now.</p>
<h1 id="requirement">Requirement</h1>
<p>Please make sure the rootfs has enough available space, over 1GB is recommended. You can use <a href="http://cubian.org/2013/08/12/enlarge-cubian-rootfs-partition/">cubian-resizefs</a> to resize your rootfs partition without losing any data.</p>
<h1 id="for-short">For short</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>apt-get update<br />
cubian-update<br />
apt-get install xserver-xorg-core xinit xserver-xorg-video-sunximali sunxi-disp-test lxde<br />
usermod -a -G video cubie</p>
</blockquote>
<p>If everything goes well, You’ll get LXDE running with opengles accelerated</p>
<h1 id="screenshot">Screenshot</h1>
<p><img src="http://cubieplayer.github.io/static_files/images/cubian-lxde-gles.png" alt="cubian with lxde screenshot" /></p>
<h1 id="step-by-step-explanation">Step by step explanation</h1>
<ol>
<li>Cubian update<br />
This ensures your cubian has the latest hardware support</li>
<li>Install <strong>xserver-xorg-core</strong> and <strong>xinit</strong><br />
We only need the xserver core packages, don’t install <strong>xserver-xorg</strong> package, it’s large and contains lots of useless files for us.</li>
<li>
<p>Install <strong>xserver-xorg-video-sunximali</strong> and <strong>sunxi-disp-test</strong><br />
These are display drivers and the driver test program. Thanks to <a href="https://github.com/ssvb/">ssvb</a>.<br />
The X system should working now, you can test it by</p>
<blockquote>
<p>xinit /usr/bin/sunxi_disp_test – :0</p>
</blockquote>
<p>If this shows a colourful triangle in a grey background measuring 480x480 then all is fine! You can safely proceed to next step.</p>
</li>
<li>Install lxde</li>
<li>Add user cubie to <strong>video</strong> group, so it can access the mali device</li>
<li>
<p>Run the test program again.Open a lxtermial from the start menu</p>
<blockquote>
<p>sunxi_disp_test</p>
</blockquote>
</li>
</ol>
2013-09-29T00:00:00+00:00http://cubian.org/2013/09/29/install-lxde-with-opengles-accelerated-on-cubian
Fix random crash<p>I’ve recieved some reports about randomly crashes on Cubian. It seems that the randomly crashes is caused by cpu overlocking. Thanks to <a href="https://github.com/cubieplayer/Cubian/issues/109">346L3</a>.</p>
<p>Cubian sets the maximum cpu frequency to 1.2GHz to get better performance. But the drawback is cpu will hang sometimes which causes kernel crash. <strong>Benn Huang</strong> who is from cubieteam suggest me set it to 1008Mhz.</p>
<h1 id="solution">Solution</h1>
<ul>
<li>Manually<br />
Edit <code class="highlighter-rouge">etc/init.d/cubian-ondemandcpufreq</code> , find
<blockquote>
<p>echo -n 1200000 &gt; /sys/devices/system/cpu/${cpu}/cpufreq/scaling_max_freq</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Replace with</p>
<blockquote>
<p>echo -n 1008000 &gt; /sys/devices/system/cpu/${cpu}/cpufreq/scaling_max_freq</p>
</blockquote>
</li>
<li>Automaticlly<br />
This requires you got the newest version of cubian-update which is v1.1.1 for current
<blockquote>
<p>apt-get update <br />
apt-get install cubian-update</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Then execute <code class="highlighter-rouge">cubian-update</code> should fix the problem. The cubian-update aslo fix a <a href="https://github.com/cubieplayer/Cubian/issues/100">SATA driver problem</a> on A10.</p>
</li>
</ul>
2013-09-18T00:00:00+00:00http://cubian.org/2013/09/18/fix-random-crash